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Another year, another awe-inspiring job done at THON

It never ceases to amaze us each year when we see the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, more commonly known as THON.

The annual event, which raises money for the pediatric cancer fighting Four Diamonds, is amazing in two ways.

It’s amazing that this fundraiser comes through with millions of dollars to help those stricken with cancer at a young age.

It’s also incredible that raising this money is not just a one-time thing. Each and every year THON puts up staggering amounts of money and each year THON seems poised to outdo the one just prior.

This past weekend, at the university’s largest indoor arena, the Bryce Jordan Center, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world revealed its year’s worth of hard work has brought in another sum in excess of $10 million. That pushes the total money raised in the history of this event north of $147 million.

Those proceeds go toward helping families pay for treatment for their sick children or to funding research that will hopefully one day yield a cure.

It is truly one of the most awe-inspiring events there are to see, especially when you see and hear “FTK” everywhere, which stands for “For The Kids,” the unmistakable slogan of THON.

So let us take the opportunity to congratulate everyone involved — from the dancers who endured a 46-hour marathon of no sitting or sleeping to raise money, to the organizers who work tirelessly to ensure THON continues to fulfill its mission, to anyone who contributed money to the cause and most especially to the families who, with this donation, will now be able to focus solely on the health of their kids instead of worrying about how to pay the bill when it comes due.

THON is amazing. We hope the only reason it ever stops is because a cure for cancer is someday found.

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